1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a front wheel and rear wheel interlocking brake system for a motorcycle, which allows interlocking brake operation between front and rear wheel brakes.
2. Description of Background Art
The brake operation of a motorcycle is performed by a brake lever provided on a handle grip and a brake pedal provided on a step, and a front wheel brake and a rear wheel brake are operated independently or simultaneously as needed by operation of the brake lever and the brake pedal as the brake operating means.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 7-196068 discloses an example in which electronic control is partially utilized for brake operation. A braking line of this example is shown in FIG. 10.
A front wheel brake 02 and a rear wheel brake 05 are each configured as a hydraulic brake, and a lever master cylinder 07 is provided on a brake lever 06 as an operating means and a pedal master cylinder 012 is provided on a brake pedal 011 as an operating means.
A lever hydraulic pressure line 08 extending from the lever master cylinder 07 is connected to the front wheel brake 02, and a pedal hydraulic pressure line 013 extending from the pedal master cylinder 012 is connected to one port of the threeport type rear wheel brake 05. A hydraulic pressure circuit 014 branched from the pedal hydraulic pressure line 013 is connected to a secondary master cylinder 010, and the output side of the secondary master cylinder 010 is connected to the other twoports of the rear wheel brake 05 via a control valve 016.
On the other hand, the braking line includes an electronic control braking line in which a brake switch 040 opened and closed on the basis of the presence and absence of the turning motion of the brake lever 06 is provided on the brake lever 06 and a pressure sensor 041 for detecting a hydraulic pressure is provided on the lever hydraulic pressure line 08, wherein the control unit 031 determines a hydraulic pressure to be generated in the secondary master cylinder 010 on the basis of detection signals from the brake switch 040 and the pressure sensor 041, and operates an actuator 033 via a relay 032 to generate a hydraulic pressure in the secondary master cylinder 010.
In the case of single operation of the brake pedal 011, only the rear wheel 05 side is operated irrespective of the front wheel side.
In the case of single operation of the brake lever 06 or simultaneous operation of the brake lever 06 and the brake pedal 011, a hydraulic pressure of the lever master cylinder 07 operates the front wheel brake 02, and simultaneously, the actuator 033 is operated on the basis of the hydraulic pressure of the lever hydraulic pressure line 08 to generate a specific hydraulic pressure in the secondary master cylinder 010, thereby interlocking the rear wheel brake 05 by the control valve 016.
Since the secondary master cylinder 010 receives the hydraulic pressure of the electronic control brake system caused by operation of the brake lever 06 and the hydraulic pressure of the pedal hydraulic pressure line 013 caused by operation of the brake pedal 011, the output from the secondary master cylinder 010 becomes higher. Accordingly, during a period in which one of the above-described two kinds of hydraulic pressures are inputted in the secondary master cylinder 010, the other one cannot be additionally inputted in the secondary master cylinder 010.
When the brake pedal 011 is singly operated, only the rear wheel brake 05 is operated, that is, the front wheel brake 02 cannot be operated to interlock with the rear wheel brake 05 irrespective of the running state of the motorcycle, with a result that it is impossible to perform brake control based on an ideal braking force distribution characteristic.
To be more specific, when the brake pedal 011 is singly operated, it is impossible to suitably switch the brake control between single brake control and interlocking brake control on the basis of the hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic pressure line or information on running state of the motorcycle, and also it is impossible to change the distribution characteristic of braking forces of the front and rear wheels on the basis of the running state.
The above-described prior art brake system has another problem. Since the pedal hydraulic pressure line 013 is branched on the way into the lines connected to the rear wheel brake 05 and the secondary master cylinder 010 and also the control valve 016 is disposed between the secondary master cylinder 010 and the rear wheel brake 05, the number of parts is larger and the structure is complicated, and further the piping work and maintenance work become cumbersome.
A further problem of the prior art brake system is that the piping layout is limited by the above complicated structure, to reduce the degree of freedom in the piping layout.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention has been made, and an object of the present invention is to provide a front wheel and rear wheel interlocking brake system having a simple structure, which is capable of automatically performing brake control of the front and rear wheels on the basis of the running state of the motorcycle.
To achieve the above object, there is provided a front wheel and rear wheel interlocking brake system for a motorcycle in which a front wheel brake and a rear wheel brake, each being hydraulically operated, are provided on a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively. The brake system includes a front wheel side actuator for applying a hydraulic pressure to the front wheel brake. A rear wheel side actuator is provided for applying a hydraulic pressure to the rear wheel brake. First and second brake operating means are operated by a driver. First and second operated amount detecting means are provided for detecting operated amounts of the first and second brake operating means, respectively. A control means is provided for receiving and calculating each of operated amounts detected by the first and second operated amount detecting means, and outputting drive control signals to the front wheel side actuator and the rear wheel side actuator on the basis of the calculated result. The control means performs brake control in such a manner that single brake control for singly driving either the front wheel brake or the rear wheel brake and interlocking brake control for driving the front and rear wheel brakes in accordance with a specific braking force distribution characteristic are switched from each other on the basis of the operated amounts detected by the first and second operated amount detecting means.
Since the brake control is performed in such a manner that single brake control and interlocking brake control in accordance with a specific braking force distribution characteristic are switched from each other on the basis of the detected operated amounts, it is possible to automatically perform brake control of the front wheel and rear wheel on the basis of the running state of the motorcycle due to the brake operation.
Since the brake system has a simple structure in which the front wheel side actuator for operating the front wheel brake and the rear wheel side actuator for operating the rear wheel brake are driven by the control means, it is possible to easily perform the piping work and maintenance work and to increase the degree of freedom in piping layout.
According to the present invention, the control means performs brake control in such a manner that when either of the first and second brake operating means is operated, the single brake control is performed until the detected operated amount reaches a specific value, and if the detected operated amount exceeds the specific value, the single brake control is switched into the interlocking brake control.
Even when either of the first and second brake operating means is operated, if the detected operated amount exceeds a specific value, single brake control is switched into interlocking brake control in which both the front and rear brakes are operated to interlock with each other, it is possible to realize a smooth and effective brake control on the basis of the running state of the motorcycle due to the brake operation.
According to the present invention, the control means performs brake control in such a manner that the interlocking brake control is performed until the detected operated amount reaches a specific value, and if the detected operated amount exceeds the specific value, the braking of the rear wheel brake is released to switch the interlocking brake control into the single brake control of only the front wheel brake.
When the detected operated amount exceeds a specific value, interlocking brake control is switched into single brake control of only the front wheel brake, and accordingly, the braking of the rear wheel brake is released on the basis of the running state due to the brake operation, so that it is possible to easily perform control of a vehicular body posture.
According to the present invention, there is provided a front wheel and rear wheel interlocking brake system for a motorcycle in which a front wheel brake and a rear wheel brake, each being hydraulically operated, are provided on a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively, the brake system includes a front wheel side actuator for applying a hydraulic pressure to the front wheel brake. A rear wheel side actuator is provided for applying a hydraulic pressure to the rear wheel brake. First and second brake operating means are operated by a driver. First and second operated amount detecting means are provided for detecting operated amounts of the first and second brake operating means, respectively. A control means is provided for receiving and calculating each of operated amounts detected by the first and second operated amount detecting means, and outputting drive control signals to the front wheel side actuator and the rear wheel side actuator on the basis of the calculated result. The control means receives running state information other than the operated amounts detected by the first and second operated amount detecting means, and performs brake control in such a manner that single brake control for singly driving either the front wheel brake or the rear wheel brake on the basis of the running state information and interlocking brake control for driving the front and rear wheel brakes in accordance with a specific braking force distribution characteristic are switched from each other on the basis of the running state information.
Since brake control is performed in such a manner that single brake control and interlocking brake control in accordance with a specific braking force distribution characteristic are switched from each other on the basis of the running state information, it is possible to automatically perform brake control on the basis of the running state.
Since the brake system has a simple structure in which the front wheel side actuator for operating the front wheel brake and the rear wheel side actuator for operating the rear wheel brake are driven by the control means, it is possible to easily perform the piping work and maintenance work and to increase the degree of freedom in piping layout.
According to the present invention, the running state information is the vehicular speed. When the vehicular speed exceeds a specific value, single brake control is switched into interlocking brake control, and accordingly, it is possible to realize a smooth and effective brake control on the basis of the vehicular speed.
According to the present invention, there is provided a front wheel and rear wheel interlocking brake system for a motorcycle in which a front wheel brake and a rear wheel brake, each being hydraulically operated, are provided on a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively. The brake system includes a front wheel side actuator for applying a hydraulic pressure to the front wheel brake. A rear wheel side actuator is provided for applying a hydraulic pressure to the rear wheel brake. First and second brake operating means are operated by a driver. First and second operated amount detecting means are provided for detecting operated amounts of the first and second brake operating means, respectively. A control means is provided for receiving and calculating each of operated amounts detected by the first and second operated amount detecting means, and outputting drive control signals to the front wheel side actuator and the rear wheel side actuator on the basis of the calculated result. The control means receives running state information other than the operated amounts detected by the first and second operated amount detecting means, and changes a distribution characteristic of the braking forces applied to the front wheel brake and the rear wheel brake on the basis of the running state information.
It is possible to perform brake control in accordance with the optimum braking force distribution characteristic by changing the distribution characteristic of braking forces applied to the front wheel brake and rear wheel brake on the basis of the running state of the vehicle.
According to the present invention, the running state is a slip state of the front and rear wheel wheels. Since the ratio in weight applied between the front and rear portions of the vehicle can be judged on the basis of the slip state of the front wheel and rear wheel, it is possible to set the optimum distribution characteristic of the braking forces applied to the front and rear wheel brakes on the basis of the ratio in weight between the front and rear portions of the vehicle and hence to realize a smooth and effective brake control on the basis of the running state.
According to the present invention, there is provided a front wheel and rear wheel interlocking brake system for a motorcycle in which a front wheel brake and a rear wheel brake, each being hydraulically operated, are provided on a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively. The brake system includes a front wheel side actuator for applying a hydraulic pressure to the front wheel brake. A rear wheel side actuator is provided for applying a hydraulic pressure to the rear wheel brake. A brake operating means is operated by a driver. An operated amount detecting means is provided for detecting an operated amount of the brake operating means. A control means for receiving and calculating an operated amount detected by the operated amount detecting means, and outputting drive control signals to the front wheel side actuator and the rear wheel side actuator on the basis of the calculated result; wherein the control means receives running state information other than the operated amount detected by the operated amount detecting means, and performs brake control in such a manner that single brake control for singly driving either the front wheel brake or the rear wheel brake and interlocking brake control for driving the front and rear wheel brakes in accordance with a specific braking force distribution characteristic are switched from each other on the basis of the running state information.
Only the operation of one brake operating means by the driver allows the control means to perform brake control in such a manner that single brake control and interlocking brake control in accordance with a specific braking force distribution characteristic are switched from each other on the basis of the running state information, and hence to automatically perform brake control of the front and rear wheels on the basis of the running state. Accordingly, since the driver can certainly select the brake operating means to be operated, it is possible to reduce the driver""s burden for brake operation.
Since the above brake system has a simple structure, it is possible to easily perform the piping work and maintenance work and to increase the degree of freedom in piping layout.
According to the present invention, there is provided a front wheel and rear wheel interlocking brake system for a motorcycle in which a front wheel brake and a rear wheel brake, each being hydraulically operated, are provided on a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively. The brake system includes a front wheel side actuator for applying a hydraulic pressure to the front wheel brake. A rear wheel side actuator is provided for applying a hydraulic pressure to the rear wheel brake. A brake operating means is operated by a driver. An operated amount detecting means is provided for detecting an operated amount of the brake operating means. A control means is provided for receiving and calculating an operated amount detected by the operated amount detecting means, and outputting drive control signals to the -front wheel side actuator and the rear wheel side actuator on the basis of the calculated result. The control means receives running state information other than the operated amount detected by the operated amount detecting means, and changes a braking force distribution characteristic of braking forces applied to the front wheel brake and the rear wheel brake on the basis of the running state.
Only the operation of one brake operating means by the driver allows the control means to change a distribution characteristic of braking forces of the front wheel brake and rear wheel brake on the basis of the running state of one vehicle and to perform brake control in accordance with the optimum braking force distribution characteristic.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.